Carrie. I know Dad. Didn't he tell Tom that if Tom
wanted to go to college he would have to earn his own money, for he had
no sympathy for 'higher education'? No, he won't let me go, I know; and
besides, he hasn't the money."

"Papa will p--" began Carrie, and then stopped. She had intended to say,
"pay all expenses," but before the words were spoken that might raise
Tabitha's hopes again, she remembered that she must not tell this part
of her father's plans, and was silent. But apparently Tabitha had not
heard, for she was saying,

"Tom has worked hard and earned his money for the first year and now he
is to go to Reno and live at Lincoln Hall maybe, while he studies.
Perhaps he can go clear through college without stopping. He says he
means to finish his course if it takes eight years to get through--but
it means a heap of money for him to earn, and it will be a long time
before he could help me any, and I can't draw maps for the surveyor or
weigh those little gold buttons like Tom does to earn money. There
aren't any berries around here to pick, and Dad won't let me hunt
centipedes and scorpions to sell for specimens, like the boys do. Jack
Leavitt has earned more than ten dollars that way. Jimmy Gates kills
rattlesnakes for pay, but I'm afraid to do that, and I suppose Dad would
object to that, too. There is really nothing on the desert that a girl
can do to earn money."

Still Carrie was hopeful and tried to impart her optimism to her
heavy-hearted companion.

"I believe something will happen yet, Puss, so you can go. I don't care
about boarding school at all if you can't go too. Why, Puss, what would
I do with no one to help me with my lessons? Papa and mamma won't be
there to tell me how the horrid examples must be worked, and I might
just as well stay at home if you don't go. I will never be able to see
any sense in the lessons. You always make everything so clear."

Tabitha smiled in appreciation of the compliment, but was not comforted,
for to her the hopelessness of the situation was very evident, and she
changed the conversation by observing, "I think you have the sweetest
dresses to wear there. Six new ones! Just think of it! I never in all
my life had so many at one time, and I never had any so pretty. Two
white ones, a pink, two blues and a brown--aren't they dear? And three
real hats! You ought to be the happiest girl on earth, Carrie."

She bent over the bed where the new wardrobe was displayed, p